UCSF’s innovative, collaborative approach to patient care, research and education spans disciplines across the life sciences, making it a world leader in scientific discovery and its translation to improving health.
Emily Paolillo, PhD, is an Assistant Professor and neuropsychologist at the UCSF Memory and Aging Center. She obtained her PhD degree in Clinical Psychology (emphasis in Neuropsychology) from the SDSU/UCSD Joint Doctoral Program in 2021, which included a predoctoral clinical internship at VA Palo Alto Health Care System. Her program of research focuses on advancing real-world assessment of cognitive and everyday functioning in older adults in naturalistic settings, with the goal of improving early and sensitive detection of change in Alzheimer's disease and related dementias.
Karin (“Kari”) joined the Boxer Lab’s Clinical Trials team as a Project Manager in 2023. A San Francisco native (born at UCSF!), she has managed intervention research for over 15 years, the last ten aiming to reduce stress in family caregivers of people with dementia.
Dr. Saloner is a scientist-practitioner and Assistant Professor at the UCSF Memory and Aging Center. His research integrates deep molecular screening tools, including large-scale proteomics platforms and targeted biomarker assays, with longitudinal clinical phenotyping to discover molecular pathways and biomarker candidates that drive the earliest clinical manifestations of neurodegenerative disease. Dr.
Coty is a research coordinator for Dr. Kaitlin Casaletto’s Activities for Aging Neurogenesis study, an intervention-based study investigating the relationship between lifestyle factors and protein markers of neural functioning. She graduated with a BS degree in Clinical Psychology from UC San Diego.
Molly studied Neuroscience and Psychology at the University of California, Los Angeles. She then completed her PhD degree with Professor Peter Juo at Tufts University, where she investigated the regulation of the AMPA-type glutamate receptor by its deubiquitinating enzyme USP-46 in C. elegans. She identified two novel mechanisms by which USP-46 is stabilized and activated by two WD40-repeat proteins, WDR-48 and WDR-20, to promote AMPAR abundance and recycling to the neuronal surface. In the Kao lab, Molly will continue her research in protein homeostasis and degradation in C.
Lily is a graduate of the University of San Francisco with a Bachelor of Arts in psychology and minors in gerontology and music and has completed a Master of Science in gerontology at USC Leonard Davis School of Gerontology. Her primary interests include cognition and improving the quality of life for older adults with neurodegenerative diseases.
Dr. Kiet (Robert) Hua completed a Bachelor of Science degree in Neurobiology, Physiology and Behavior at the University of California, Davis. During his undergraduate studies, he developed a love of research, studying animal behavior. He completed further research training at the University of Houston where he studied drosophila genetics. He completed his Medical Degree (MD) and Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degrees at Albany Medical College. His PhD thesis focused on the study of primary cilia and their role in a category of neurodevelopmental disorders known as ciliopathies.
Lily was born and raised in Lanzhou, China. She attended the University of California, San Diego and graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Cognitive Science with a specialization in Design and Interaction and a Bachelor of Science degree in Cognitive and Behavioral Neuroscience (CBN). At UCSF Memory and Aging Center, she works as a Clinical Research Coordinator who coordinates Mandarin-speaking participants.
Sarah McDonagh supports the Atlantic Fellows for Equity in Brain Health and faculty within the Global Brain Health Institute to implement research projects and new grant applications, with a focus on the ReDLat project.
